Sunday, September 19, 2010

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Fall is wonderful in its abundance. In a scant few weeks prices will again begin to rise, but for now, the fruits and vegetables with which I love to cook are affordable and encourage generosity in the kitchen. Once our first rains fall, I put away the recipes of summer and replace them with those that speak to cooler weather. It's time for robust soups and stews and casseroles. It is especially time for bouillabaisse. Most of us think of bouillabaisse as a heady Mediterranean stew that's made with fish and served with grilled bread and thickened with rouille, a red pepper mayonnaise. Julia Child and Patricia Wells both take the elements of that classic bouillabaise, but replace the fish with chicken and make what they call a "bouillabaisse de poulet." The results are delicious, perfect for family and friends who enjoy checkered tablecloth fare. The dish should be assembled a full 24 hours before serving. It takes that long for the flavors of the Pernod and fennel to permeate the chicken. The good news is that all the work is done the day before the dish is cooked and you really are free to enjoy the company of your family and friends. Like many old French recipes, this one, designated peasant fare, requires the purse of a prince to assemble. Pernod, fennel bulbs and saffron come dear, but they are absolutely necessary for the success of this dish. For what it's worth, this is one of my ten favorite meals. If you decide to make this, your mindset must be "in for a penny, in for a pound." You will not regret it. Here's the recipe. Bon appetit!

Mary, European "peasant fare" is, as far as I am concerned, the most comforting and flavorful food for the body AND soul that can be found. I fully expect to love this as it reads beautifully. Thank youxoxo Pattie

I love dishes that are affordable and can (should) be made ahead. I imagine that allowing the ingredients to soak and mingle for 24 hours makes such a difference in the final product. Can I please have a bowl of this right now?

Oh that looks so wonderfully hearty and warming! A beautiful stew! Too bad it's still in the low 100's here. Hard to get excited about warm comforting foods when it's that warm....I guess we could turn up the AC and pretend though!! :)

I'm with you when it comes to shifting over to cooler weather foods. We're just getting there here in Denver. Bouillabaise is, for me I guess, a fish dish. I look forward to making my first cassoulet, perhaps with chicken and sausages. You are one amazing chef (don't be modest, you deserve that moniker).

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